Are you looking for the best kibble for ferrets? If yes, then this is an article for you. Before offering kibble to a ferret, you should know that it’s very addictive, and your ferret will have difficulty switching from one to another. Additionally, if this is your first time feeding kibble to ferrets, you first need to understand ‘Can ferrets eat kibble,’ If yes, ‘What kibble do ferrets eat?’ as well as ‘What is the best kibble to feed a ferret?’. Here, we are going to discuss the seven best kibbles for ferrets. But before that, let’s start with the first answer to the question, ‘Can ferrets eat kibble?’
Can Ferrets Eat Kibble?
Yes, ferrets can eat kibbles, but it’s not recommended. According to the National Institute of Health, if you feed your ferret with kibbles, you are presenting them with lower DM NFE, & protein digestibility than dogs and cats. However, if necessary, the Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada suggests feeding one that contains 30% protein & 20% fat in it.
Avoid any kibble with cereals, grains, sugars, fruits, or vegetables, as these can cause serious health issues in your ferret. As Oxford Animal Health suggests, the only plant matter your ferret should eat must come from its prey’s gut. Therefore, avoid feeding any other plant material, no matter who suggests it.
Also, you must avoid feeding your ferret with kibble formulated for dogs or cats. As the Veterinary Partner suggested, a ferret fed with a dog will not do well and will die soon due to malnutrition. Even though Bishop’s Stortford Vets suggests that the base of your ferret diet must consist of dry food, kibble is not an ideal option.
However, many people seem to feed kibbles to their ferrets, and this doesn’t seem to be a problem. Well, yes, it is true, but you should be cautious about what you are choosing. Hence, this raises the next question: What kibble do ferrets eat?
What Kibble Do Ferrets Eat?
According to a Reddit user, the_business_ferret should be fed 30% protein or more kibbles with 15-20% fat. Also, it must have less than 3.5% fiber and not more than 6.5% ash. The kibble’s first three ingredients must come from meat and have a minimum of 75% animal-based content.
Feeding any other kibble than this recommendation will result in health issues & malnutrition in ferrets. A Veterinary Nurse suggests feeding your ferret with kibbles, which may produce softer and higher volume feces than those fed a whole carcass dier. This could be due to the fiber content that attracts into your pet’s gut lumen and holds it there. Hence, this might make you wonder, ‘What is the best kibble for ferrets?’.
What Is The Best Kibble To Feed A Ferret?
The best kibble that Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital recommends is said to be Wysong Ferret Diets. Wysong diets are freeze-dried & grain-free kibble diets specifically formulated for ferrets. However, the veterinary nurse suggests avoiding buying too large bags as the vitamin levels will reduce over time.
Also, you should note that your ferret should eat at least 5-7% of its body weight daily, which could be about 50-75 grams of food for pets of 1 kg. Also, the kibble shouldn’t be the only food they should eat daily. I will highly advise you also to consider some home-based food, treats, supplements, & raw ones.
To know what home-based food you can feed, consider reading my article on the three best homemade ferret foods & best homemade ferret treats. Returning to the point, let’s take a quick look at the seven best kibbles for ferrets you can purchase online and offer your pet.
3 Best Kibble For Ferrets
Marshall Premium Ferret Diet Food for Seniors
This is the keyboard die that most breeders have, and the owner is likely to recommend it. However, it would be best to consider purchasing it online because a user, Jess Pearl, found this available at a couple of dollars more expensive at the closest Petco ferret than on Amazon. One thing that many users, including Stacey Charcoal, find attractive about this kibble is its suitability for addition to the ferret’s duck soup.
However, it would be best to feed this to elder ferrets, which is quite easy on their teeth. Also, if your ferret is losing too much weight, this can save your pet’s life, as shared by Pristine Aericko. This is very easy to switch and gives your pet a beautiful quote with no health issues, as suggested by KATZ. However, some users, including Corryn, Amber, and Sarah Prediletto, find this kibble unhealthy.
Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 Digestive Support
According to users like MiteeFastWhitey & D. Whorley, this kibble is way better than most in nutrition. However, this has low fat, so mix this with other healthy foods. I like to supplement this formula with the best Salmon oil for ferrets. The good thing is that it is also free from cane molasses or sugar, preventing insulinoma.
Plus, if your ferret is underweight, put this food on your ferret’s diet list, as Rose and Kelly suggested. This kibble helps put on some healthy weight for ferrets and promotes plush, soft & beautiful coats. Also, it promotes healthy hair and nail growth. As per Dr. D, it contains the best ratio of fat & protein with more meat than any product available for ferrets.
On the other hand, users like Katarina S complain about ferrets’ poo being mushy & smelly, which is quite normal due to high protein content. Ferrets are carnivorous and need protein, and the aftermath will be gross. So ready to encounter some doo-doo butter. But probiotics can help with this. Also, it’s normal to notice Diarrhea after introducing this food for a few days. If Diarrhea persists or worsens, like explosive bowel issues experienced by Erica Ryan & Ariel, stop this kibble or mix it with the previous ones you were feeding.
Wysong Ferret Archetypal-2
This is also a great kibble that contains balanced nutrition. But, I would advise you to feed this diet with the Wysong Epigen 90 digestive support. Additionally, it’s best to supplement these kibbles with reconstituted Archetype freeze-dried chicken, as ferrets are carnivores who need more protein.
If you want to put healthy weight on your ferrets, consider feeding this. According to users like Emily & Ferretspazz, their pets doubled in size with thicker & softer coats when fed for a few months with this kibble. Hence, they never switch back, which is also a possibility with you & your pet. However, just like any kibble, it may also result in Diarrhea, as shared by users like Kandy, Karen, and Girlg33k. Also, a user shared that this kibble shouldn’t be fed to senior ferrets as this can be very hard for them.
4 More Best Kibbles For Ferrets That Are Worth To Try
The formulas below are worth trying but must be mixed with other healthy kibbles.
| Best Kibble For Ferrets | Nutritional Value | First 5 Ingredients | Note |
| Natural Gold Ferret Food | 49 % Protein, 21 % Fat, 3.5 % Fibre, and 10 % Carbs | Hydrolyzed Pork, Chicken Meal, Poultry Fat, Potato Starch, and Citrus Fiber | This formula may cause Diarrhea at first. I also think that this needs better packaging to preserve freshness. Plus, It may result in stinky poo due to fish content. |
| Oxbow Animal Health Essentials Ferret Food | 42 % Protein, 20 % Fat, 3 % Fibre, and 10 % Carbs | Chicken meal, Chicken, chicken fat, Egg product and Gelatin | This is good ferret food when mixed with another high quality. This formula might have changed recently, adding mineral oils and some grains that are unhealthy for ferrets. |
| Higgins Pet Food Intune Ferret | 40 % Protein, 20 % Fat, 4 % Fibre, and 20 % Carbs | Chicken meal, Dried Eggs, Tapioca, Chicken Fat, and Potatoes | One thing that users hate and complain about is its recent formula smelling pungent & fishy. Plus, this food can be quite hard for younger ferrets (less than a year old) |
| Marshall Pet Products Premium Ferret Diet | 36 % Protein, 18 % Fat, 4 % Fibre, and 24 % Carbs | Chicken, Chicken Organs, Chicken Meal, Corn Meal, and Dried Beet Pulp | They are extremely delicious and offer tons of great health benefits. However, he is not as good as Wysong but he is still good. If I were at your place, I would have added this to my kits’ soupies. |
How To Switch Kibble From To Another?
I would have done it gradually. Switching from one kibble to another can cause serious Diarrhoea in ferrets. As the American Ferret Association suggests, you should consider feeding your ferret a mix of several kibbles to avoid disruption in supply and Diarrhea. To switch your current ferret kibble to another, you should consider following the & steps mentioned below.
- Firstly, you should begin hand-feeding some new food to your ferret that provides quality bonding time and helps them acquire a liking for the new food’s taste.
- After that, add this new kibble to your old kibble bag and refrigerate it for a day to blend the flavors and ease the transition.
- After a day, add the old and new kibble together and blend thoroughly to mix the flavor.
- Including ferretone or Salmon oil is also advisable if you offer them a treat or supplement to your ferret.
- This should get your ferret to switch from the old one to a new kibble, but this must be gradual. Besides this, you can also use the new kibble as a treat instead of the current one you regularly use, which fools them into liking the new food.
Conclusion
I hope you have some basic idea of what kibble you should feed and what works best for them. In case of explosive Diarrhea, when introduced to any particular kibble, stop that food and consult the vet immediately. If you find this article helpful, then consider sharing it.
Your share will help many people learn the seven best healthy kibble for ferrets, promote fluffy coats, healthy weight gain, and keep them energetic. To stay updated with ferret care & requirements for ferret health, well-being, and long life, check my other guides on this website. See you in the next post, till then, take care & goodbye.
